St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-03
Exploding a False Impression.

10 Inc EQlIOr OF the GLOBE:
ST. PAUL, Jan. 1, 1SS7.-CriticiSm of
public institutions is an inherent right of an
American citizen; and, as it is much easier
to find fault than to designate remedy for
real or supposed evil, the right is most
freely exercised. Of all the public institu-
tons of which Minnesota can boast, proba-
bly, no one of them has been subject to so
much unfavOrable criticism as the manage
ment of the state fair. 1t is not my pur-
pose i'll this to enter upon general review
of the management of this institution, with
the purpose of pointing out errors, indicat-
ing reforms or anything of that kind, but,
by the introduction of a few figures, to ex-
plode false impression very generally held
by persons not acquainted with the
workings of fairs. their sources of
income, expenditures, etc. 1 allude
to the item of speed trials or horse racing,
as it is generally called. Every year since
have been a resident of Minnesota, as the
season rolled around to commence planning
for an exhibition. attacks have been made
upon the management for putting aside
such large sums of money for their speed
trials, to the detriment, as it is charged, of
the legitimate objects OF the association,
the fostering of agriculture, the dairy and
kindred pursuits. Only few days since
Mr.. Heathole or Wheathole or some name
OF that character. hailing from Mortified,
III talk to the Casual Listener OF the
Pioneer Press. gave it out cold that if R. G.
JudsOn, the secretary of the state society,
could be induced to give more attention to
agriculture in the annual exhibits
and less to fast horses there
might be some hope of financial
success for the society. Now. there may
be good reasons for banishing horse races
FROM fl,oo .I>:A:
cations, but when any one advocates such
a departure on account of its effect upon
the finances of the society, he simply adj
vertises his ignorance, as few figures
taken from the last annual report of Secre-
tary Judson will clearly demonstrate Here
are the figures:
Number OF races trotted. paced and run, 81.
Entrance money paid by owners. So, $50 90
Score sheet and other privileges on
grand stand. Observation-Disclosures. 9S3 90
Received from sale of tickets to
grand stand. Observation-Disclosures. 1854 rs
Iotal. '..:.': SIS, ga IS
Amount paid for races .......... S,545 so
Balance in favor of socely. SO 25
But the account should not stop here.
The sale Of booths under the grand stand is
made possible by the fact that the stand
is to be occupied. and that that point is 10
be the great center of attraction. There
fore the income from this source is Iegiti-
mate credit to the racing feature The
exact figures from this source | have not
got, but it was certainly more than suffi-
cient to pay the interest on the cost of the
stand, the stabling built especially for the
FAST horses, cost of track, etc., leaving the
association ahead ON its investment, saving
nothing about the receipts for entrance to
the grounds of parties brought there by the
attractions of the racing programme. This
item figured in and there can be no question
that to the racing programme last year the
state society is indebted for more than one
half its profits. JAMES ID. Woop.